Cardiff 15000 arena

Travelodge on Hemingway Road has submitted a planning application for a 32 bedroom extension. The plans can be viewed on the Council website under application reference numbers 18/00437/MJR and 18/00436/MJR.

Is this in direct response to the proposed arena next door?

That's an interesting move by them, you'd kind of think it was related to it, but also maybe in response to Premier Inn's expansion in the city of late...hotel down the road currently being built for example. I haven't looked at the application yet, but is it encroaching on the land for that military medical history building?

[Edit] Just read the application and it's within their existing land boundary.

The city does seem to be going through a certain amount of hotel room growth though in fairness. I'm not sure if there's a market for it at the moment, but wouldn't it be nice to see another 4* or 5* operator coming to the city, hopefully in the John Street plot.

It's easy to say that the demand for more hotel rooms is there for big event days, mainly for anything at the Principality Stadium. Are there any statistics available that give any indication on how many rooms go empty during the week or on a normal weekend?

One would assume that the opening of the new convention centre at the Celtic Manor will increase bookings, and a bigger arena.

I would also like to see another 4* or 5* hotel built on John Street or the proposed hotel in Central Quay.

The 2018 Colliers International UK Hotels Market Index ranks Cardiff sixth as a hot spot, for hotel development and acquisition, just behind Bath, Belfast, Cambridge and Bristol, and winning destination Edinburgh.

Cardiff has risen five places from last year in the annual index, which analyses 34 locations across the UK and ranks them according to a set of nine Key Performance Indicators.

Peter Brunt, a director in Colliers International’s Hotels Agency team, said Cardiff’s improved attraction to hotel investors was the result of factors including a significant boost to average room rates as a result of hosting the 2017 Champions League Final.

“Cardiff reached sixth place in this year’s index as a result of a lower active development pipeline for new hotels in the city, and a year-on-year increase of six per cent in average daily rate in 2017.

“It was particularly significant that Cardiff hosted the 2017 Champions League Final in June 2017 at the Principality Stadium, which attracted 175,000 football fans and boosted the average daily rate for that month and raised the overall profile of the area.”

The significance of hosting the 2017 Champions League Final to the Cardiff hospitality industry reflects previous experience of hosting the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Cardiff reached the top of the 2016 Colliers International UK Hotels Market Index due to factors including low active pipeline, low build costs, and string hotel performance as a result of hosting the Rugby World Cup and other events.

http://www.colliers.com/en-gb/uk/insights/property-news/2018/0314-cardiff-among-uk-top-10-hot-spots-for-hotel-investment

It's easy to say that the demand for more hotel rooms is there for big event days, mainly for anything at the Principality Stadium. Are there any statistics available that give any indication on how many rooms go empty during the week or on a normal weekend?

One would assume that the opening of the new convention centre at the Celtic Manor will increase bookings, and a bigger arena.

I would also like to see another 4* or 5* hotel built on John Street or the proposed hotel in Central Quay.

The occupancy rate in Cardiff last year was 67% compared to a UK average of 65%.

https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/521 ... ancy-boost

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... ssion=true

Interesting. I was expecting the council to be housed in the Interchange. Seems this isn't the plan at all. Any ideas?

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/new-cardiff-council-headquarters-could-14575046.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Interesting. I was expecting the council to be housed in the Interchange. Seems this isn't the plan at all. Any ideas?

The Welsh Government have an inward investor they are hoping will sign up to bring jobs to Cardiff and are lined up for the Interchange if that comes off. It sounds like it's pretty much reserved for them (whoever they are), while they make their decision.

Other than that it's pretty much a speculative office development with nobody else linked to it at the moment from what I can tell.

The last plot next to HMRC though is semi-lined up for being part of this 'public sector hub' as well as any remaining space in the HMRC building. I'm sure I read that when the HMRC deal was done.

The other good option though would be the JR Smart John Street scheme I guess?

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/new-cardiff-council-headquarters-could-14575046.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Interesting. I was expecting the council to be housed in the Interchange. Seems this isn't the plan at all. Any ideas?

I think if they don't take the empty plot on Callaghan Square, no one will for years with focus on other developments.
With the desire to house other public sector functions and that land owned by Welsh Government, I hope they pick this plot.

My 2nd choice would be the slot next to HMRC. I'm worried about focus being lost on this with Central Quay starting soon.

The last plot next to HMRC though is semi-lined up for being part of this 'public sector hub' as well as any remaining space in the HMRC building. I'm sure I read that when the HMRC deal was done.

I'm not sure that's right, Kyle. IIRC, there was mention of other UK Govt funtions co-locating with HMRC to form a UKG hub in Cardiff. That's why the hoardings around the site refer to it as a UK Government project not a HMRC one. The Wales Office are certainly re-locating there and other UKG departments with a presence in Wales are considering doing the same.

Given the willy waving that goes on between the Welsh Government and the UK one I think the chances of any devolved institutions co-locating with UKG departments are pretty much close to zero.

I'd have thought the Callaghan Square site is the likliest option now that Cardiff Met have opted for Central Quay for their new campus.

Not very impressive to be knocking down a building that's hardly 30 years old. What happens to city hall?

Not very impressive to be knocking down a building that's hardly 30 years old. What happens to city hall?

I don't think its the build quality of the building itself that is the problem. With maintenance the building could carry on functioning as it is now. I think it relates to the fact that requirements have changed over time in terms of: IT infrastructure; energy efficiency and carbon emissions; accessibility; desk space versus meeting rooms. I don't know whether those sorts of issues are big enough to warrant a major refurbishment/new build.

And it can be expensive to undertake major internal refurbishments, especially for large buildings. Do you do it all in one go, in which case you need to find a lot of temporary office space? Could be tricky to find one site big enough, and disruptive if people are across multiple sites. Do you do it on a rolling basis, in which case, it probably costs more, and remaining workers get disrupted by noise?

And I'm not sure how many staff are based in City Hall? (Its hard to find info on this stuff!). But isn't a lot of it now basically function rooms that they hire out to conferences, events, weddings, groups, etc?